Lips of an Angel
by Cherie Dennis
Summary: Brooke went off to college in New York and ended up with Mouth. Lucas stayed in Tree Hill, finding comfort in Peyton after his breakup with Brooke, postgraduation. What happens when Brucas gets back in touch?
1. Lips of an Angel

**Lips of an Angel**

Title: Lips of an Angel.

Author: Cherie Dennis.

Summary: Graduation day had come and gone, taking with it the remains of Brooke and Lucas's relationship. The pieces were scattered everywhere as Brooke left for New York. Lucas found himself in the arms of Peyton, trying to ease his broken heart.

Five years pass, bringing Lucas and Peyton closer while Brooke and Mouth reconnect; forming a relationship they could never have started in high school. The couple in New York decides to return to Tree Hill, and Brooke finds herself in tears, calling Lucas for reasons she couldn't figure out.

When Brooke and Lucas see one another again, all their old feelings come rushing back. And now, they have to figure out what they both want. To stay with the ones they're with, or risk everything for a chance to be together again.

Rating: I'm going with T, but it may change.

Pairings: Leyton, Brouth, Naley. Eventual Brucas, possible Meyton or Jeyton. Most characters will be seen.

Disclaimer: I do not own OTH. I do not own the songs I will be using in this. It's based off Hinder's "Lips of an Angel" and will feature other songs by other artists, which will be crediting at the beginning of the chapters.

**Prologue:**

She came into my life again, five years too late, as if nothing happened between us. The sound of her voice that night… It was enough to drive me crazy. I was forced to acknowledge the ache I'd been ignoring for so long. And now, knowing that she is in the same town as me is slowly killing me.

Brooke. Cheery. Pretty Girl. The one who broke my heart.

She is so much to me, and she doesn't even know it. Does she know that for the first year she was gone, I couldn't think about anything else but her? Does she know that it was a challenge to make sure I never called Peyton by the wrong name? Does she know that I'd lay awake at night, with my girlfriend beside me, searching the photographs of us together to try and make some sense of the situation?

I wanted to follow her, to take her into my arms again and tell her how much I loved her. But I couldn't. I was too afraid. But what am I to do now? Pretend that I don't care about her?


	2. Prologue: The Break Up

Brooke was sitting in the auditorium where her class just graduated. Everyone else was outside with their parents, taking pictures and crying. She tugged a bit at the black gown she was wearing, the one that every other senior had been wearing over their clothing.

"This is it," she said softly to no one in particular. She looked around at the empty seats, feeling a pang of sadness come to her. How could her parents not come to her graduation? She let out a sigh, shaking her head a bit.

"Hey, Pretty Girl." Lucas had come into the auditorium after searching for Brooke outside. She raised her head, giving him a half-hearted smile. "Hey boyfriend," she said.

He walked over and sat beside her on the stage, slipping an arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his, letting out a heavy sigh. "What's wrong?" he asked with obvious concern in his voice.

She shook her head a bit, trying to push the topic away. "It's nothing. I just can't believe I'm leaving for New York tomorrow," she said, feeling Lucas tense a bit beside her.

It had been a touchy subject ever since they'd gotten back together. She was going to New York to study fashion, and Lucas wasn't sure if he wanted to follow. She had been trying, unsuccessfully, to convince him to go.

"Oh," he said, bringing her back to the present. "About that," he said, letting his voice trail off. Brooke slid off the stage and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to fight away the tears that she could feel in her eyes.

"Just end it now, Luke. If you don't want to go, tell me." She kept her back to him, knowing that if she looked at him she'd fall apart. And right now, she couldn't afford that.

"It's not that I don't want to be with you," he tried to explain. Brooke quickly turned around to face him, an angry look on her face.

"Forget about it, okay? I'll just drop my dreams and stay here with you, just so you can be comfortable." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Brooke," he said, sliding off the stage. He reached out to touch her, but she stepped away from him. "I want to be with you, but I can't go to New York. There's nothing up there for me."

"What about me?" The pain Brooke felt was obvious in her face and Lucas could feel his heart shattering into a million pieces. A few tears fell from her eyes and she quickly looked away, trying to compose herself. "I can't do this, Lucas. If you're not willing to go with me, then I'm not willing to wait. Either you come with me, or we're over."

Lucas wanted to take her into his arms, but she walked away too quickly. Watching her retreating body, shaking with her sobs, he knew that it was over. He knew he wouldn't go with her. Knowing that fact, he turned on his heel and went to find his family.

----

A week later, Brooke stood at the airport, gripping the handle of her suitcase. Rachel stood beside her, having been the one who drove her to the airport. "Ready?" the red-head asked, turning to face her friend.

Brooke took in a breath and nodded slightly. She turned to meet the other girl's gaze, a smile coming to her face. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this. New York, here I come!" she said with a giggle of excitement.

"You certainly have the bitchy attitude to get along up there," Rachel teased. Brooke glared at her before adding, "Then you should go to Las Vegas. Get paid for being such a slut."

The two laughed and shook their heads. Brooke's laugh, however, felt empty to her. There was no sign of Lucas here, and she hadn't heard from him at all over the past week. She could feel the tears coming to her eyes again, glad that she had the excuse of leaving town to explain her emotions.

A female voice came over the intercom system, announcing the final boarding for Brooke's flight. It was now or never, and part of her wished it was the latter.

After a long embrace, Brooke headed towards the terminal and handed over her ticket. Turning to wave at Rachel, she quickly got onto the plane. She sat down in her assigned seat, taking a deep breath.

"Well," she said beneath her breath as she looked out the window, "Time to leave your heart, Brooke Davis. Say goodbye to Tree Hill."

Meanwhile, Lucas Scott was lying in the bed of one of his closest friends. He hadn't slept the night before, knowing that Brooke was leaving for good. His eyes glanced at the clock, his heart aching with the idea of her boarding her plane. She'd be in New York in a few hours. He still had time to join her…

"Luke?" He glanced over, seeing Peyton awake. He gave her a slight smile, his hands sliding beneath his head. "Morning Sawyer," he said. She slid a bit closer to him, comforted by the sight of him beside her this early in the morning.

"How long have you been up?" she asked, her eyes looking up towards his. He shrugged a bit, glancing towards the clock. _Since I came over,_ he thought to himself. Returning his gaze to Peyton, he replied, "A few minutes."

She nodded a bit, resting her head on his chest. He shut his eyes, trying to find comfort in the action. All he could think about, however, was Brooke. He could see her so clearly sitting in the back of his car the first night they met, dressed in nothing. Well, aside from the mittens she had been wearing.

George Bernard Shaw's words echoed through his mind; "There are two tragedies in life: one is to lose your heart's desire, the other is to gain it." His eyes opened again, looking down towards Peyton. He'd lost his heart's desire already and here, in his arms, was another girl that loved him completely. Perhaps he could make it work with her.

He leaned up a bit, moving one hand beneath her chin. She looked up to him, a confused look on her face as he tilted his head to one side. His eyes closed as he leaned closer to her, feeling her warm lips against his.

Peyton quickly kissed him back and he could feel the love she felt for him. If he couldn't have what he wanted, perhaps he could give someone else what they wanted. So there in his room, while Brooke was headed for New York, Lucas convinced himself that being with Peyton was the right thing to do.


	3. Late Night Phone Call

Lucas awoke with a start. His cell phone rang loudly on the end table beside his bed, but the blonde beside him didn't seem to notice. He grabbed the phone and flipped it open, not even worrying about checking to see who it was.

"Hello?" he whispered into the phone, watching Peyton's chest rise and fall as she slept.

"I'm sorry," the girl's voice replied. He knew instantly who it was. "I didn't know who else to call," she said, her voice sounding choked. Lucas rose carefully from the bed, and then walked silently to the other room, shutting the bedroom door softly behind him.

_**Honey why you calling me so late?  
It's kinda hard to talk right now.  
Honey why are you crying? Is everything okay?  
I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud**_

"Brooke, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice hushed but concerned. Brooke sniffled a bit, trying to calm herself down by taking a deep breath. His heart seemed to break in his chest at the sound of her crying. Keeping an eye on the bedroom door, he took a breath. "What happened?" he asked into the phone as Brooke started to calm.

On the other end of the phone, Brooke looked around the apartment she shared with Marvin McFadden. They'd met again in college and she quickly fell for him. They'd been living together for a year now, but Brooke's heart didn't seem to be in the relationship. Not that he noticed.

"It's just," she paused to take a breath. "I'm not sure why I called you. I don't even know what's wrong with me," she said with a slight laugh that made his heart flutter. "Did I wake you up?" she asked, her voice concerned.

Lucas shook his head in disbelief. Leave it to Brooke to call in tears and worry about **him**. He walked over to the couch and sat down, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, you did. Luckily I got the phone before Peyton woke," he said softly.

"Oh," Brooke stalled. "I'm sorry, really. It's stupid of me to be calling you. I just got to thinking about us, you know?" She closed her eyes, trying to keep her heart from beating erratically. "I miss you, Lucas," she said in a barely audible whisper.

"I miss you, too," he replied instantly. It was the easiest sentence he'd ever said. But he couldn't get over the fact that in the past five years, after graduation when they broke up, she never called. Not once. She had gone up to New York to work on her designs while he stayed in Tree Hill. His eyes looked again to the bedroom door, making sure Peyton was still asleep.

_**Well, my girl's in the next room  
Sometimes I wish she was you  
I guess we never really moved on  
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name  
It sounds so sweet  
Coming from the lips of an angel  
Hearing those words it makes me weak**_

"Do you think," Brooke paused, laughing softly. "Nevermind. It's a stupid idea," she said with a shake of her head. What was she thinking, calling him out of the blue like this? She was certain that he had moved on, especially with the mention of Peyton.

The thought of her ex-best friend sent a chill up her spine. Her hand gripped the edge of her seat as she swallowed the words she didn't want to say. _Of course they're together,_ she thought to herself. _Peyton always did love him._

"Do I think what?" Lucas's voice brought her back to the present. "I was just wanting to see you again, that's all," she confessed. Her heart seemed to stop as Lucas grew silent. What would he say in response to that one?

"I'd like that, Brooke. I'd like that a lot," he said with a smile in his voice. "But aren't you still in New York?" he asked.

_**And I never wanna say goodbye  
But girl you make it hard to be faithful  
With the lips of an angel**_

"Actually," she said, perking up a bit, "Mouth and I are flying out to Tree Hill tomorrow. We're missing home pretty bad, and New York has gotten to be too big. We're going to look for a house," she explained.

It was Lucas's turn to have his heart stop beating. "You and Mouth?" he asked, amazed. "Well, yeah," Brooke replied. "We got together a year ago," she trailed off, sensing the hurt Luke must've been feeling.

"That's great," he said with a flat voice.

"Anyways," she said, trying to recover. "I had a dream about you tonight. That's why I called." She took in a soft breath, hoping the change of subject would get his attention else where.

"Really?" he asked, amused. "I had a dream about you, too. I guess we're connected still, somehow," he said with a slight laugh.

_**It's funny that you're calling me tonight  
And, yes, I've dreamt of you too  
**_

Lucas heard muffled talking on the other end of the phone, and he could hear a man's voice. Brooke came back onto the line a moment later. "Sorry," she said, her voice quieter now. "Mouth just got home. He says to tell you hi."

The corners of Lucas's mouth pulled down in a frown. "Will you guys fight over you calling me?" he asked, worried about Brooke. "I don't want any problems caused by me." A shuffling sound came from the bedroom and Peyton called out to Lucas.

"No, he doesn't know why I called," she paused, hearing Peyton's voice. "Does she know you're talking to me?"

"No," Lucas said, his voice a bit quieter now. "I don't think she knows that I'm on the phone."

_**And does he know you're talking to me  
Will it start a fight  
No I don't think she has a clue**_

Just then, the bedroom door opened and Peyton walked out. She scratched her head a bit, looking over at her boyfriend. "Is everything okay?" she asked, indicating the phone.

"Yeah," Lucas said, giving her a slight smile. Into the phone he said, "Call me tomorrow when you get into town. I can't wait to see you." After hearing Brooke's goodbye, he hung up the phone.

"Who can't you wait to see?" the blonde asked. She made her way over to the couch, sitting beside Lucas. She snuggled into him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Mouth," he said before kissing her head softly. "Let's go back to bed."


	4. Brunch in Tennessee

After finding out that Mouth (and Brooke) was coming into town, Peyton suggested that she and Lucas take them to brunch. Their flight wasn't going to get in until around nine in the morning, giving them enough time to drive to Tree Hill. Luke had agreed, knowing that if he didn't, questions would be raised.

So there the couple sat, waiting at the restaurant. They'd arrived minutes ago after getting a call from Mouth, telling them that he and Brooke were just outside of town. Peyton bounced a bit in her seat, seeing this as the chance she missed so many years ago to reclaim her friendship with Brooke. Lucas, on the other hand, seemed completely calm. He couldn't focus his thoughts onto a single thing, though, as the minutes seemed to pass slowly.

Meanwhile, Brooke and Mouth were pulling into town. The brunette sat quietly in the passenger seat, listening to the words of "Tennessee" by the Wreckers fill the rented car. Mouth glanced over at her, watching her lips move, forming the words silently.

_**I never had all the answers  
I never had enough time  
But I sure had all the reasons  
Why you weren't what I wanted to find** _

It was one of Brooke's favourite songs, ever since she'd left for New York after graduation. Haley had slipped the CD into her bag and she listened to the same song the whole way there. She ended up having to buy a second copy of the CD because she wore out the first one.

_**I never laid all my cards out  
You just wanted to play  
The king he waited on my doorstep  
While the joker and me went on our way**_

It was surprising to her how much the song reminded her of her relationship with Lucas. She felt as if the song was written about them, aside from the state mentioned in it. And as the familiar sights of Tree Hill passed by the car, she felt even more strongly about the song.

_**Maybe I was much too selfish  
But baby you're still on my mind  
Now I'm grown and all alone  
And wishing I was with you tonight **_

_**'Cause I can guarantee  
Things are sweeter in Tennessee**_

**---- **

Lucas, after listening to Peyton ramble on about the crappy music they were playing in the restaurant, decided to go outside. He was leaning against the building, soaking up the warmth of the sun. All he could see behind his closed eyes was Brooke's face. Had she changed at all?

The sound of a horn honking filled the air, causing Lucas to fall back to reality. He searched for the source of the sound, his eyes falling onto the car that had just pulled into the parking lot. And there she sat, her eyes watching him.

After parking, Mouth and Brooke both climbed out of the car, stiff from the trip. Lucas headed over, dodging cars that were pulling out. He walked up to Mouth, pulling him into a hug as they greeted one another. He then gave Brooke a slight smile, feeling the pain he'd thought he'd lost over the years. Seeing her again, right in front of him, reminded him of the last time they'd been face to face.

"_I can't do this, Lucas. If you're not willing to go with me, then I'm not willing to wait. Either you come with me, or we're over."_

"Hey," Brooke said as she pulled him into an awkward hug, "you look like you've seen a ghost." Lucas, after returning the hug, stepped back and laughed a bit. "You'd be surprised."

The trio headed back into the restaurant where Peyton was still sitting, bouncing anxiously. Seeing her old best friend, she jumped up and came rushing over. "B. Davis," she said excitedly, pulling Brooke into a hug, "it's been ages!"

Brooke hugged her back, a smile coming to her face. She had let go of the past emotions, but jealousy was rising in her at the thought of Peyton and Lucas being together. "P. Sawyer," she said as she stepped back, looking over her, "you haven't changed a bit!"

Lucas and Mouth shared a look of 'Thank god they didn't kill each other,' then they all made their way back to the table. Brooke sat down beside Lucas, Mouth beside her. He slipped an arm across the back of her chair, something that Luke caught but said nothing about.

**----**

After a long, awkward brunch, the four finally found a slightly-comfortable place. They were laughing together, almost as if nothing had changed. Brooke and Lucas, however, were all too aware of who sat beside them. The connection they had always had, that pull towards each other, was still there. They both did their best to ignore it, instead focusing that attention to the other two at the table.

They stood outside, debating on what to do next. Mouth said they needed to go check into the hotel, but Brooke wanted to go see Karen over at the Café. So Peyton, figuring it would be a good chance to catch up with an old friend, left with Mouth, leaving Brooke and Lucas standing beside one another.

The two stood for a few minutes in silence, both afraid to be the first one to break it. Brooke finally cleared her throat, causing Lucas to look over at her. She gave a slight smile, almost apologetic. "So, to the Café?" she asked, slipping her hands into the pockets of her jeans. Luke gave a slight nod then started walking with her to his car.

"I still can't believe you're with Mouth," he said when they got into the car. The brunette gave out a nervous laugh, shaking her head a bit. "I can't either. I figured you'd be with Peyton, though," she said, her eyes focused on the buildings they were passing.

Lucas could hear the edge to her voice, that sound that she tried her hardest to cover. It was one of pain, one that proved to him that she still cared. Instead of replying, he reached over and turned on the radio. The Wreckers filled the car.

_**Maybe I was much too selfish  
But baby you're still on my mind  
Now I'm grown and all alone  
And wishing I was with you tonight  
'Cause I can guarantee  
Things are sweeter in Tennessee **_

_**These days everything is all business  
Never in a place for too long   
And there's no lack of arms around me  
But I still wonder if somewhere I went wrong **_

Brooke could feel the tears coming to her eyes, hearing the song she associated with the guy who sat beside her. He was so close and yet, at the same time, so very far away. She looked over to him, hearing him sing the words softly. A sad smile came to her face as he glanced over at her, a look of pain in his eyes as well.

She knew that he still cared, even after all these years, even after the way she had left things. Knowing this, she slid her hand gently onto his arm. He kept his focus on the road ahead, trying to ignore the warmth of her skin.

"This song always made me think of you," she confessed softly. This got his attention and he looked over at her, seeing a few tears slipping down her cheeks. He took one hand off the wheel, brushing them away with his thumb.

"Me too, Pretty Girl."


	5. A Place to Stay

"I can't believe you're actually back!" Karen said as she pulled Brooke into another hug. The younger girl laughed as she hugged the woman back, squeezing her lovingly before pulling away.

"New York is nice for a while, but I'm a small town girl at heart," Brooke replied. She picked up her hot chocolate, despite the fact that it was plenty warm outside, and took another sip. She'd almost forgotten how good it tasted. No one in New York could make the drink the same way Karen did.

Lucas was standing in the back, listening to the women's conversation, his heart aching each time he heard Brooke's laugh. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the want to go back out there. He was half tempted to just leave Brooke here for a while, especially after how weird things had gotten on the ride over.

"_This song always made me think of you," she confessed softly. This got his attention and he looked over at her, seeing a few tears slipping down her cheeks. He took one hand off the wheel, brushing them away with his thumb._

"_Me too, Pretty Girl," Lucas said. He kept his right hand cupped around Brooke's cheek for a moment, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin. Then, realizing what he was doing, he quickly put his hand back onto the steering wheel and focused his attention on the road._

_The brunette shifted beside him, unable to ignore the tension that just came into the car. She could practically feel the space between them become smaller, as if the vehicle was shrinking around them, pushing them closer to one another._

"_So, um, are you still writing?" Brooke asked, trying to find the comfort zone they had moments before. _

"_I try to," Lucas replied, his voice distant. "Sometimes it's hard, though, because I have no inspiration." As least, nothing like what I had when I was with you, he didn't add. He gripped the steering wheel a bit as the deafening silence filled the car again._

_He could feel that pull towards Brooke, like there was some kind of gravitational force trying to pull them together, but he was doing everything in his power to pull back. He knew that if he gave in, he'd be doing the same thing to Peyton that he had done to Brooke so many years ago. What was the saying? Oh right, he thought to himself, 'Once a cheater, always a cheater.' The thought made him sick to his stomach._

_Brooke's eyes were watching the road, trying to figure out why she had said what she did. How could she confess that kind of thing to Lucas, especially when they were both with different people? _

_The silence continued all the way to the café, only breaking when Karen caught sight of Brooke. Then, the brunette acted as though nothing had happened. But Lucas could see that look in her eyes when she looked at him, one he had seen so many times; regret, sorrow, love and lust._

"Lucas?" Karen called from the front of the restaurant, bringing the blonde back to reality. He poked his head through the door, glancing over at the table of his two favourite women.

"Yeah, Ma?" he asked as he stepped out, trying his hardest to not look at Brooke. His heart was already shattered again, just like it had been when she left, and he wasn't sure if he could handle looking at her.

"Nathan just called. I didn't know where you ran off to, so I told him you'd call him back," she said with a smile. He gave her a small nod then walked back into the room he'd been in, pulling out his cell phone.

He scrolled through the contact list in his phone, trying to ignore the sound of Brooke's laugh coming from the other room again. He closed his eyes tightly; wishing ache he felt in his heart once again would disappear. Opening his eyes again, he flipped his phone closed and slipped it back into his pocket.

A male voice came from the other room, and Lucas knew immediately that it was Mouth. He walked out of the room, plastering on a smile at the sight of Peyton. Ignoring a hugging Brooke and Mouth, he pulled his girlfriend into a hug.

After pulling back and giving Mouth a nod, he turned to his mom. "I'm heading over to Nathan's," he explained as he glanced over to Peyton. "He needs some help with something. You guys enjoy the afternoon; I'll meet up with you at the apartment tonight." He kissed Peyton's cheek, and then offered a small wave to the rest of the group.

Brooke sat still in her seat, watching Lucas pull on his jacket and walk out the door. Her heart fluttered a bit as he glanced back. Why had he lied about Nathan's? And why was she the only one who noticed?

"So the hotel turned out to be a complete waste of time," Peyton said from beside Brooke, pulling the brunette back to reality. She turned to her old friend and smiled. "So I decided that you and Mouth can stay over at the apartment. We've got a spare room that we never get to use. It'll be perfect!"

Mouth slid his arm around Brooke's waist, smiling at Peyton. "Perfect," he echoed before turning to Karen. "Mind if I go make some hot chocolate?" he asked, watching her nod.

"Help yourself, sweetie," she said with a smile. She glanced over at the door, seeing a few customers walk in. "Excuse me," Karen said to the two girls and then got up to seat the couple standing at the door.

"I'm so excited about this, Brooke!" Peyton squealed in excitement. "It'll be just like old times! We can stay up late and have a really cheesy slumber party, complete with old movies and everything!"

As she was pulled into a hug, Brooke couldn't help but feel the sudden worry that washed over her. Spending the night in Lucas's apartment? Something told her that it wasn't a good idea in the least, but she pretended to be as excited as Peyton.

The only problem now was what Lucas would think when he heard the news.

**---- **

**_She came into my life again, five years too late, as if nothing happened between us. The sound of her voice that night… It was enough to drive me crazy. I was forced to acknowledge the ache I'd been ignoring for so long. And now, knowing that she is in the same town as me is slowly killing me._**

_**Brooke. Cheery. Pretty Girl. The one who broke my heart.**_

_**She is so much to me, and she doesn't even know it. Does she know that for the first year she was gone, I couldn't think about anything else but her? Does she know that it was a challenge to make sure I never called Peyton by the wrong name? Does she know that I'd lay awake at night, with my girlfriend beside me, searching the photographs of us together to try and make some sense of the situation?**_

_**I wanted to follow her, to take her into my arms again and tell her how much I loved her. But I couldn't. I was too afraid. But what am I to do now? Pretend that I don't care about her? **_

Lucas eyes reread the words on his computer screen. With an audible, annoyed exhale, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Some kind of writer you are, he thought to himself. What was this, anyways?

He closed the laptop before rubbing his eyes tiredly. Sure, he'd lied to everyone about helping Nathan out, but he needed to do something with his feelings. And he knew he couldn't tell a soul. Word would get back to Peyton… God, he could see it now; the hurt look on her face, the sight of her breaking into a million pieces just because he wanted to chase something that he didn't deserve to have.

But that didn't stop him from wanting her. Not in the least. The only thing that Lucas wanted was to be with her again. But he couldn't. Not after five years with Peyton, not after five years of trying to get her out of his system.

Lucas scraped his chair away from the desk and stood up, stretching slightly before he began to pace. He could barely collect all the thoughts in his head, and the oncoming headache wasn't going to be any fun. What was he supposed to do?

The basketball buried away in the bottom of his closet seemed to tempt him, to call his name. He walked over and pulled open the closet door, searching through a few boxes that he and Peyton never got around to unpacking when they moved in.

He grabbed hold of the orange ball, and then made his way to the door. He glanced back at the desk before walking over, taking hold of his iPod. Finally satisfied, he left the apartment, locking the door behind him.

**---- **

Nathan heard the sound of a car approaching and he glanced over his shoulder, seeing the all-too familiar vehicle that belonged to his brother. Cradling the basketball between his elbow and his hip, he jogged over to the edge of the basketball court.

"Are you stalking me?" he asked, watching Lucas retrieve the ball from his back seat. "Did Karen not give you the message, or do you just feel like being a jackass?"

The blonde pocketed his iPod then slammed his door shut, cradling his basketball the same way Nathan was. "Shut up," he said as he passed his brother, dribbling the ball to the free throw line.

"Someone's extra broody today," Nathan joked as he walked over, mimicking the shot Lucas made with his own ball.

Lucas shot Nathan a glare before jogging over to grab his ball. He grabbed hold of his brother's and tossed it to him, a little harder than he had anticipated.

"Dude, it was a joke," Nathan said, rubbing his chest as if he'd actually been hurt.

"Sorry," Lucas said as he dribbled his ball over to Nathan's side. He shot the ball again, this time missing the basket. "I've got a lot on my mind."

Lucas jogged over again to grab the ball, this time heading over to sit on the picnic table. He set the ball down on the seat between his feet and rested his elbows on his knees, letting his head hang down. Nathan watched him for a moment before he walked over, sitting down beside him.

"Troubles with the girlfriend?" he asked, setting his ball between his feet as well.

Lucas lifted his head and stared off into the distance. If only it were that simple, he thought. "Something like that," he said after a moment.

**---- **

"God, Brooke, could you have anymore stuff?" Peyton asked as she lugged her friend's bags into the apartment.

"Actually, she could've," Mouth said, following the blonde with an armload of bags as well. "I convinced her she didn't need to bring everything, because we'd be going home next week."

"Hey," the brunette said, walking into the front room of the apartment. "For your information, I wanted to just bring everything this trip because it's pointless to go back. Well, for me, anyways."

Peyton and Mouth both rolled their eyes as they walked past the girl and into the spare room, literally dropping Brooke's things onto the floor.

"What do you mean?" Peyton asked as she walked back out, rubbing one of her arms.

"I mean, I could just stay here in the house that we're going to buy. I mean, yeah, Mouth has to go back to finish up work, but I can design clothes anywhere," Brooke explained as she plopped onto the couch, yawning dramatically.

Mouth sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms as Peyton sat down at the desk. "You guys are way too cute together," she said as she opened the laptop.

Lucas's work was still on the screen, the courser blinking behind the last word. He must've forgotten to close it, Peyton thought as she went to close it. Her hand paused on the keyboard as she read over the words.

"Peyton? What is it?" Brooke said, seeing her friend's face pale. She got up from the couch, pulling out of Mouth's arms and walked over behind the blonde's seat. She read over the first two sentences and knew, suddenly, that any progress she and Peyton had made was up in smoke.


End file.
